Split rolling basket

ABSTRACT

A strip tillage implement includes a single, center-mounted arm located directly above the row area of a strip-till berm. Basket halves are rotatably connected to opposite sides of the arm in cantilever fashion to eliminate outer support arms. Residue flow encounters rolling baskets rather than fixed arms so that catching, flipping and twisting of residue is minimized and plugging in high residue conditions is reduced. A single, center-mounted bearing and simplified basket halves reduce the cost and complexity of the implement.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to strip tillage implements and,more specifically, to rolling basket structure for such implements.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Numerous growers are changing from no-till or minimum tillage methods tostrip tillage methods to reduce production costs and increase cropyields. Strip tillage machines typically work the soil in a zone andapply fertilizer. The strip tillage operation is completed in the fall,winter and spring seasons in the United States in varying conditions.When the strip tillage implement is used in the spring just prior toplanting of the crop, a rolling basket may be attached behind a coulter,row cleaner, shank and closing disc to form a berm that is conducive tothe planting and uniform germination of seeds.

Currently available rolling baskets are typically constructed from flatmetal bars which chop up dirt clods as they roll over the berm. Somebaskets have a concave cut-out to provide a berm with several inches ofelevation. Other baskets utilize flat bars to make a relatively flatberm. Several types of rolling baskets are available, but most or all ofsuch baskets encounter residue problems. The residue level of astrip-tilled field ranges from light soybean stubble to heavy standingcorn stubble, and in the heavy residue conditions two stationary spacedmounting arms which support the basket are located in high residue flowareas created by the row cleaners or other tools located forwardly ofthe basket. The mounting arm on one side of the basket is closelyadjacent the mounting arm of the adjacent basket. The two adjacentbrackets catch, flip and twist residue, and this residue action causesplugs in high residue conditions such as encountered in corn stubble.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a single, center-mounted arm locateddirectly above the row area of a strip-till berm. Basket halves arerotatably connected to the arm on opposite sides of the arm so theresidue flow encounters rolling baskets rather than fixed arms so thatcatching, flipping and twisting of residue is minimized and plugging inhigh residue conditions is reduced or eliminated. A single arm andbearing mount arrangement simplifies construction and reduces costcompared to baskets with multiple arm supports. The single arm-supportedbaskets are self- cleaning, and the basket structure works moreeffectively in wet and heavy residue conditions than most previouslyavailable structures.

These and other objects, features and advantages of the presentinvention will become apparent to one skilled in the art from thedescription which follows taken in view of the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a strip tillage machine includingrolling basket structure.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the rolling basket structurefor the strip tillage machine of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of a portion of the rolling basket structureof FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to FIG. 1 therein is shown a strip tillage implement 10having a main frame 12 supported for forward movement over soil withresidue 14 located generally in crop rows 16 on berms 18. Strip tillagetools 20 and 22 are supported from the frame 12 rearwardly andforwardly, respectively, of lift and depth control wheel assemblies 24.A forward hitch 32 is adapted for connection to a tractor (not shown).

The forward tools 22 include a coulter 34 supported from the forwardbeam 12 a of the frame 12 at each crop row 16. The coulter provides acentrally located slit in the corresponding berm 18. The rearward tools20 include a row cleaner 40 supported from the rearward beam 12 b withrearwardly diverging angled discs 42 for clearing residue from an areaon opposite sides of the central slit. A shank 44 is supported from aspring trip shank assembly 46 connected by a bracket 48 to the rearwardbeam 12 b. Each shank 44 is aligned with the corresponding coulter 34.

A rear support frame assembly 52 with fore-and-aft extending drawbarmembers 54 is connected to the rearward beam 12 b by frame brackets 56(FIG. 2). The drawbar members 54 extend rearwardly from the top of thebeam 12 b, and a transversely extending cross frame member 60 issupported above the drawbar members 54 by brackets 64. Split rollingbasket assemblies 66 extend downwardly and rearwardly from the member60, and closing disc assemblies 68 are supported from a closing discframe beam 70 (FIG. 1) located behind the rear beam 12 b.

The split rolling basket assemblies 66 include a bracket 80 (FIG. 2)pivotally supporting a downwardly and rearwardly directed basket drawbaror arm 82 at an upper pivot 84 located below the member 60. A springassembly 86 has an uppermost end supported by the bracket 80 and alowermost end connected by an arm bracket 88 at bolt hole locations 88 a(FIG. 3) centrally located between the pivot 84 and a lower connectingor tool-mounting end 90.

The lower connecting end 90 includes a bearing assembly 92 with ahousing 92 h having transversely spaced identical apertured plates 94connected by bolts to the arm 82. The bearing assembly 92 as shown inFIGS. 2 and 3 includes a single pre-lubricated and permanently sealedbearing with double row ball bearings and an inner race 92 a. Thebearing is permanently secured within the apertures of the plates 94 asshown in FIG. 3.

Identical basket half sections 100 are rotatably mounted on oppositesides of the arm 82 in cantilever fashion by an axle assembly indicatedgenerally at 102 in FIG. 3 extending outwardly on each side of thebearing assembly 92 so that axially outermost basket section sides 103 arotate free of fixed members such as support arms or the like. Axiallyinnermost section sides 103 b rotate closely adjacent the lower end 90of the arm 82. Therefore, as can be best appreciated from FIG. 1,residue that passes between the sides 103 a of adjacent basketassemblies 66 will not catch, flip or twist about any fixed supportmembers or other non-rotating structure between the basket assemblies.The single arm 82 acts between the cantilevered basket half sections 100to help clean the basket assemblies 66.

Referring to FIG. 3, the basket half sections 100 each include agenerally planar support plate 110 with planar clod-breaking members 112having outermost edges 112 e supported from the plate 110 and extendingtransversely on either side of the plate 110. The edges 112 e on a pairof basket sections 100 cover a substantial portion of the berm width andcan be generally horizontal for a flat berm or angled from thehorizontal to provide a shaped berm. Bushings 114 with stepped portions116 are welded perpendicular to the central portion of the plates 110.An axle or bolt 120 secures the inner ends of the bushings 114 withinthe inner race 92 with the stepped portions 116 abutting the oppositefaces of the inner race 92 a. A nut 120 a and washer 120 b tightened onthe threaded end of the bolt 120 maintains the basket sections 100 inposition on opposite sides of the bearing 92. As shown, the basketsections 100 are generally identical with the members 112 supported inslots spaced equidistantly about the periphery of the plate 110. Theareas between the members 112 are generally arc-shaped and concaveoutwardly. The innermost sides 103 b are transversely spaced apart adistance approximately equal to but slightly greater than the distancebetween the sides of the arm 82. In the mounted position shown in FIG.2, the left section 100 is generally the mirror image of the rightsection 100.

Having described the preferred embodiment, it will become apparent thatvarious modifications can be made without departing from the scope ofthe invention as defined in the accompanying claims.

1. Rolling basket structure for a strip tillage implement having a frameadapted for forward movement over soil having crop residue located in aplant row, the rolling basket structure comprising: a single arm havingan upper forward frame mounting end, the arm extending downwardly andrearwardly from the frame mounting end to a tool mounting end locateddirectly above the plant row; an axle extending transversely on oppositesides of the tool mounting end and supported substantially entirely bythe tool mounting end; and transversely extending first and secondbasket sections connected to the axle for rotation on the opposite sidesof the tool mounting end, the sections including innermost sidesrotating closely adjacent the tool mounting end and outermost sides,wherein the basket sections are mounted in cantilever fashion from theaxle to facilitate shedding of the crop residue.
 2. The rolling basketstructure as set forth in claim 1 wherein the first and second basketsections comprise a planar support member with planar paddle membersconnected to the support member.
 3. The rolling basket structure as setforth in claim 2 wherein the planar paddle members extend transverselyto the planar support member.
 4. The rolling basket structure as setforth in claim 2 wherein the first and second basket sections are ofgenerally identical construction.
 5. The rolling basket structure as setforth in claim 1 wherein the tool mounting end comprises a singlebearing and the axle is rotatably supported by the single bearing. 6.The rolling basket structure as set forth in claim 1 including a secondsingle arm rotatably mounting second basket structure adjacent thesecond basket section, wherein the outermost side of the second basketsection is located adjacent a rotating portion of the second basketstructure and the area between the outermost side of the second basketsection and the second basket structure is devoid of non-rotatingmembers so that the residue flowing between the second basket sectionand the second basket structure passes through only rotating structure.7. Rolling basket structure for a strip tillage implement having a frameadapted for forward movement over soil having crop residue located in aplant row, the rolling basket structure comprising: a single arm havingan upper forward frame mounting end, the arm extending downwardly andrearwardly from the frame mounting end to a tool mounting end locateddirectly above the plant row; an axle extending transversely on oppositesides of the tool mounting end and supported substantially entirely bythe tool mounting end; transversely extending first and second basketsections connected to the axle for rotation on the opposite sides of thetool mounting end, the sections including innermost sides rotatingclosely adjacent the tool mounting end and outermost rotating sides,wherein the basket sections are mounted in cantilever fashion; andwherein the outermost rotating sides comprise outermost extremities ofthe rolling basket structure to facilitate shedding of residue.
 8. Therolling basket structure as set forth in claim 7 including a secondsingle arm rotatably mounting second basket structure adjacent thesecond basket section, wherein the outermost side of the second basketsection is located adjacent a rotating portion of the second basketstructure and the area between the outermost side of the second basketsection and the second basket structure is devoid of a non-rotatingmembers to facilitate shedding of the residue.
 9. The rolling basketstructure as set forth in claim 7 wherein the tool mounting endcomprises a single bearing assembly, and wherein the axle is rotatablysupported by the single bearing assembly.
 10. The rolling basketstructure as set forth in claim 9 wherein the single bearing assemblyincludes a pair support plates transversely spaced on opposite sides ofthe single arm and a ball bearing mounted to the support plates.
 11. Therolling basket structure as set forth in claim 7 wherein the firstbasket section is generally the mirror image of the second basketstructure.
 12. The rolling basket structure as set forth in claim 7wherein the single arm has transversely spaced sides, and wherein thefirst and second basket sections are mounted for rotation closelyadjacent the spaced sides.
 13. The rolling basket structure as set forthin claim 9 wherein the first and second basket sections include firstand second axially extending bushings supported by the single bearingassembly.
 14. The rolling basket structure as set forth in claim 13wherein the single bearing assembly includes an inner race, and whereinthe axle comprises a bolt securing the first and second axiallyextending bushings to the inner race.
 15. The rolling basket structureas set forth in claim 14 wherein the first and second axially extendingbushings include a stepped portion, and the bolt secures the steppedportion against an axially outward face of the inner race.
 16. Therolling basket structure as set forth in claim 15 wherein the bushingsinclude a reduced-diameter portion extending axially beyond the outwardface of the inner race and into the inner race.